Patient celebrates end of lung cancer treatment with Chicago Bulls

Advocate Health Care patient Larry Crider, 66, of Alsip, was feeling great at his routine annual checkup when his doctor suggested he be screened for lung cancer.

Although Larry had smoked, he quit years ago and had no symptoms. But he took the advice of his doctor who recommended the low-dose CT lung screen based on Larry’s age and smoking history and scheduled the test in June 2023. The results – and subsequent further testing – led to a diagnosis of Stage 2a lung cancer.

After surgery, chemo and immunotherapy treatments, Larry was able to celebrate completing his final treatment earlier this month with a VIP fan tunnel experience at Thursday’s Chicago Bulls game.

Larry, joined by his daughters and grandson, were able to high five the players as they made their way onto the court and watch them take on the Minnesota Timberwolves.

“I’m grateful to be here and that I was diagnosed in an earlier stage,” Larry said. “Eventually something would’ve happened, but I didn’t have symptoms yet. What stage would it have been when I did?”

Larry’s case is a good example of the importance of lung screenings, said Larry’s oncologist Dr. Prashant Joshi with Advocate Medical Group.

“We’re catching lung cancer earlier and that means we can help cure more patients,” Dr. Joshi said, adding many of his patients had no idea they could have lung cancer.

The screenings are recommended for patients ages 50 to 77 with current or past history of smoking, he said, adding that anyone can talk to their primary care doctor about their own risk to determine if a screening is right for them. Read more about the screens and take a lung health quiz.

“I’m excited to move on with my life,” Larry said.